1996 Toyota Granvia review from UK and Ireland

Nothing so far.

Had this MPV for a few months now. My previous MPV was a Toyota Lucida Estima (2wd 2.2 diesel auto). In this short time I have to say it seems a very reliable vehicle.

MPG is nothing to write home about at around 25MPG, but I didn't expect it to be much more.

They have all the usual goodies expected from a manufacture like Toyota; electric everything and captain seats, the usual twin sunroofs (one powered, one manual) and alloy wheels.

I came from the Toyota Estima 2.2 diesel auto to the Granvia, and anyone thinking of doing a similar thing, I wouldn't hesitate, they're not in the same league.

The Estima is a cheap and cheerful 7/8 seater MPV with reasonable looks, is quite good to drive, but that's where it stops

The Granvia has so much more space and is overall a better put together MPV. The 3ltr engine pulls like a train and is classed as bullet proof; ideal for towing just about anything.

The gearbox is smooth and allows the car to freewheel when you take your foot off the accelerator, which in my view is a good thing as the engine is doing nothing rather than being dragged on by the auto box (some people don't like this feature).

A couple of things to look out for if you're thinking of buying a Granvia.

The back auto box mount is prone to wear, but is easy to inspect; it's under the vehicle at the back of the gearbox, a big round mounting bush is clearly visible. Look to see if the rubber is perished or deformed.

The top front suspension ball joints are another known fault, and to replace means replacing the whole wishbone.

Toyota main dealers want around £250 each for parts only, but they can be had for around £80 from third party sources, so not all bad.

To check these is a little more difficult, but I think when you take it for a test drive, it would be apparent if they were worn.

There is no engine problems that I am aware of, but the starter motor bushes can wear, causing it to not engage every time, leading to not engaging all of the time. This is a cheap repair and can be done quite easily.

On the whole, I like the Granvia.